Knitting machine and method of knitting



Dec. 26, 1939. F. R SIEBER 2,184,851

KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF KNITTING vFiled April 14, 19:58 8 sheets-sheet 1 m Y m 9@ 5 s l mk V w Q 1 N N Q i;

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ATTORNEY Dec. 26, 1939; F.' P. slEBER 2,184,851

KNI'ITING MACHINE AND METHOD OF KNITTING Filed April 14, 1958 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR elezz'c Rfaear BY 1 @VMM ATTORNEY Dec. 26, 1939.

F. P,\ SIEBER KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD 0F KNITTING,

Filed April 14, 1938 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 A BY@ M ATTORNEY Dec. 26, 1939. F. P. slEBER KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD oF KNITTING Filed April 14, 1958 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ellerio l? Jz'cber ATTORNEY Dec. 26, 1939. F P', slEBER 2,184,851

KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD 0F KNITTING Filed April 14, 1938 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 A T TORNE Y De.26,1939. FU'RSEBER.. 2,184,851

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Dec. 26, 1939. n F, P, slEBER l l 2,184,851

KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD 0F KNITTING Filed April 14, 1958 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 F' 155. l@ J4 6.

@2 ifa. f4 95 /N VENTOR4 f'eZez-i ch Ed''ler A TTORNE Y Patented Dec. 26, 1939 UNITED STATESI PATENT OFFICE KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF KNITTING 10 Claims.

'I'he present invention relates tov knitting machines, and, more particularly, to a knitting machine of novel and improved character and to a stripe-forming mechanism for knitting machines, and to a method of producing knitted goods with a novel stripe.

As those skilled in the art know, conventional circular knitting machines, particularly circular knitting machines of the open top type, had various limitations as to the typeof fabric produced.v Thus, only horizontal stripes could be produced in the finished fabric and the production of vertical or length stripes and of bias stripes was not possible without unattractive oats in the back. When it was desired to produce length stripes in the nished product, it was necessary to employ highly specialized machines, which were very expensive and which were not generally available for the average tion of length and bias stripes as well as plaids,

without oats, in the finished fabric on circular knitting machines was highly desirable as it provided a new and improved product of attractive appearance having a great sales appeal to the public. Although from time to time various attempts were made to solve the outstanding problem and to provide the art with a circular knitting machine capable of producing length stripes, none, as far as I am aware, of the attempts and proposals was completely satisfactory and successful when carried into practice on a practical and Vcommercial scale.

I have discovered that the problem may be solved in a simple manner.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a knitting machine of a novel and improved character which eliminates this disadvantage of conventional machines and which makes it pos- 40 sible to produce lengthland bias stripes as well as plaids in the finished fabric'without oats on the back of theV cloth or plating eil'ects.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an attachment for conventional knitting 5 machines of the circular type which when at- ,tached to and voperated in combination with the conventional circular machine will produce length and bias stripes as well as plaids of Aany desired arrangement and spacing in the body of the nished fabric. l

l It is a further object of the present invention to provide an attachment for conventional circular knitting machines, particularlyA for those of the open top type, which does not require any expensive or difficult changes in the conventional knitting machine.

machine, but which may be` added thereto by a skilled mechanic and will make it possible to produce length and bias striped knitted fabrics on the conventional knitting machine.

It is also within contemplation of the inven- 5 Ition to provide a novel attachment for knitting machines of the open top-circular type for producing length stripes which is simple in construction, is easy to attach and to operate, and which may be manufactured and sold to owners of con- 10 ventional circular knitting machines at a low price.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a method of producing knitted fabrics having vertical, bias or staggered stripes embodied therein on a circular knitting machine, said stripes being of such character as to appear at both sides of the finished fabric Without any floats.

The present Ainvention also contemplates the production of a novel type of knitted fabric having length and bias stripes therein either alone or in combination with conventional horizontal stripes to form plaids, by means of a circular Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from. the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings; in which Fig. l illustrates a vertical sectional view, somewhat fragmentary, of a knitting machine embodying the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 depicts somewhat diagrammatically a top elevational view, having parts in section and at a reduced scale, of the knitting machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top elevational view showing a portion of Fig. 2 at a larger scale; -v

Fig. 4 illustrates a side elevational view also fragmentary and having parts in section, of the length and bias stripe forming attachment for circular knitting machines;

Fig. 5 depicts a lsimilar view of the attachment embodying the invention and'showing the vertical and bias-stripe control box and its cooperating actuating mechanism; L y

Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of the sliding pin associated with the actuating rod. or lever` of the attachment; I l 5o Fig.`7- illus trates a similar view of thefvertical and bias stripe control box for controlling the operation oftheattachment; I

Figw depict-sa vertical sectional view, somewhat fragmentary, yof a modified embodiment of f 1 the invention for forming bias stripes in a knitted fabric;

Fig. 9 shows a side elevation, also fragmentary, of the machine illustrated in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 illustrates a greatly enlarged plan view of a knitted fabric embodying the principles of the invention and having vertical stripes and also conventional horizontal stripes incorporated therein;

Fig. 11 depicts a similar view of a knitted fabric having staggered stripes therein;

Fig. 12 shows a similar greatly enlarged plan view of a knitted fabric embodying the invention and having bias stripes incorporated therein;

Fig. 13a. illustrates a diagrammatic plan of a portion of the front face of the novel fabric having vertical stripes therein;

Fig. 13b depicts a similar View of the back face of the fabric shown in Fig. 13a;

Fig. 14a illustrates a diagrammatic plan of a portion of the front face of the novel fabric having staggered vertical stripes incorporated therein; p

Fig. 14b depicts a similar View of the back face of the fabric shown in Fig. 14a.;

Fig. 15a, illustrates a diagrammatic plan of a portion of the front face of the novel fabric having bias stripes incorporated therein; and

Fig. 15b depicts a similar view of the back face of the fabric shown in Fig. 15a.

Broadly stated, according to the principles of my invention, I provide a circular knitting machine, preferably of the open top circular type including a needle cylinder of conventional character having slots in which there are located independent needles. These needles may be conventional latch needles or spring needles, as those skilled in the art will readily understand. The needles are provided with outwardly projecting butts adapted to be engaged by the various actuating cams customary in the knitting art, such as stitch cams, filling cams, needle raising cams, etc., which cooperate in the conventional manner to produce a knitted fabric from a plurality of yarns. I also provide pattern or design wheels of conventional character comprising a pair of plates each being provided about their periphery with parallel teeth of the usual type with slots between them and extending from edge to edge of the plate. Inserts are adapted to be positioned with their outer ends in the peripheral slots for the purpose of engaging needle butts to raise the needles selectively. Aretractable dividing cam is provided after the design or pattern wheel to move the needles selected by the wheel into the raised position and to leave the other needles in their idle position. In addition to these conventional elements of an open top circular knitting `machine adapted to produce a conventional knitted fabric, I also provide a combination of to be displaced in a substantially horizontal and radial direction'towards a selected plurality of independent needles. Preferably, this selected plurality of needles is raised and controlled by design or pattern wheels having a number of in-4 serts corresponding to the number and spacing of the stripes. The actuating mechanism for the stripe yarn guides comprises a rod or similar actuating element displaceably mounted in a stationary part of the machine and adapted to be slidably displaced by means cf an actuating disk mounted on a rotary part of the machine such as the main vertical shaft thereof. 'The periodical displacement of the actuating rods is best obtained by means of cams mounted on said actuating diskand adapted to engage a pin or a similar protuberance on said actuating rod whereby the rod will be displaced in a horizontal and radial direction to such an extent that the guides mounted at the outer end of the actuating rod will project beyond the needles selected and raised by means of the design Wheel.4 In addition to their displacement in the horizontal and radial direction, the guides are also capable of a slight lateral and also of a slight vertical displacement accomplished by means of another, resiliently mounted, pin on the actuating rod which slides over a stationary control surface of a suitable character. The result will be that the guides at the end of the actuatingv rod will describe a complex motion along a closed and elongated rhomboid-like curve having certain portions thereof in different planes. This will cause the straight line in and out displacement of the actuating rod to be converted into a closed curvilienear motion of the guides at the end of said rod which will have the effect of Winding the length stripe yarns around the selected plurality of needles raised by the design wheel into their elevated position.

Thus, when these selected needles will be subsequently withdrawn by means of a stitch cam or knitting cam and returned into their original or rest position, the yarn of the length stripe will be knitted into the body of the fabric and will provide lengthfstripes of a number corresponding to the number of stripe yarns. Of course, any convenient number of stripe yarns may be used in accordance with the number of stripes desired. The number and the spacingof the guides on the actuating rod may be arranged to suit the number and the spacing of the desired length stripes, as those skilled in the art will readily understand.

Preferably, a plurality of actuating rods is provided in a radial arrangement similar to the spokes of a wheel, each of the actuating rods having a corresponding actuating cam on the common actuating disk. It isalso possible, however, to employ a smaller number of cams than there are actuating rods in the machine. In order to obtain correct timing of the actuating rods and thus of the length stripe-forming mechanism with the operation of the conventional mechanism forming the body of the fabric, it is necessary to provide a direct connection between the rotation of the cam ring actuating the cams responsible for the knitting proper and the cam disk actuating rods responsible for the formation of vertical or length stripes. This correct timing or synchronism is best accomplished, for example, by mounting the cam disk on the main vertical shaft of the machine which may be extended downwardly to a greater extent than is custmnary in conventional machines.

When it is desired to produce bias stripes, this can be treadily obtained by displacing the stripefcrming mechanism step by step or continuously so that it will successively cooperate with consecutive needles of the cylinder. This may be accomplished, for example, by providing a speed reducing gear, or a ratchet mechanism associated with one of the rotative elements of the knitting machine which will provide a gradual displacement of the stripe-forming mechanism as a unit by a denite step for each stitch formed. Of course, it is also necessary to select such a pattern or design wheel, respectively such combination of inserts therein as will cause the raising of consecutive needles for the stripe formation and in cooperative position with the corresponding guides of the stripe-forming mechanism. The result will be that the stripe yarn will be wound around a different and subsequent needle of the machine for each stitch which will cause the production of bias stripes when the displacement of the stripe actuating mechanism is continuous and always in the same direction. The angle of the bias stripes'with the horizontal will be determined by the 'relation of the speed of the cam ring and of that of the displacement of the stripe-forming mechanism. When the displacement of the stripe-forming mechanism is reversed at periodic intervals and between the reversals the stripe forming mechanism is maintained stationary for a predetermined period, staggered stripes will be produced.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated as embodied into a'conventional knitting machine of the open top circular type employing the well-known latch-type individual needles. The conventional parts of the machine essentially comprise an open top cylinder I, in which there are provided a largenumber of equidistantly spaced slots 2. In each of these slots a latch-type needle 3 is inserted having a butt 4 and being adapted to be displaced in a vertical direction. The needles are actuated by means of a plurality of suitable and conventional cams 5 such as raising cams, stitch cams, di-

viding cams, etc. all mounted on a rotatable cam ring 1. Designed wheels 44 having inserts 45 provided therein are arranged on the cam ring and are capable of raising selected needles above the idle level in the conventional manner. Cam.`

ring 1 may be rotated in the horizontal plane by means of a revolving ring gear 8 driven by means of a spur gear 9 which in turn is driven by means of a pulley Ill. The upper face of ring gear 8 has a plurality of vertical standards I5 mounted lthereon supporting a spider I6. Spider I6 has a centrally located hub (not shown) in which a vertical shaft II is fixedly mounted. A conventional bobbin rack or yarn carrier stand (not shown) is supported on the upper end of shaft II, while the lower end of shaft II carries a collar I2, rigidly connected thereto by means of a set screw I2-I. Collar I2 supports hub I3 forming a sliding t with shaft II and integrally formed with a circular-shaped plate I3-I which supports the stationary part of the length stripe mechanism. A bracket, or some other appropriate member I4 is connected at one of its ends to the lower portion of circular plate I3 and is having its lower end held between a pair of dogs or rollers I-I whereby accidental rotation of plate I3-I is prevented. 'I'he lower end of bracket I4 has such dimensions that the produced fabric may be put around it and in contact with the two rollers so that as the fabric forming a continuous tubular structure is getting longer and longer it can gradually descend without any interference by the bracket. Rollers I4-l have the advantage of decreasing the friction with the fabric so that it may readily descend under its own weight or may be pulled down from time to time. In Fig. 1 only one of the dogs or rollers -I4---I is shown but the complete appearance of the structure may be more fully seen and understood from the corresponding portions of Fig. 8

and 9. Preferably, standards I5 are made considerably higher than the standards employed in prises a plurality of actuating rods I'I, which are' slidably mountedin a part I8 secured to circular plate I 3I. Although in the drawing (Fig. 2) twenty clrcumferentially arranged actuating rods are shown, obviously anyconvenient number of actuating rods may be employed according to the number of length stripes desired in the fabric. The actuating rods are operated by means of cams I9 equidistantly mounted around the circumference of a cam disk 20. Cam disk is provided with a hub 2I rigidly connected to the mainv vertical shaft of the machine by means of a set screw 22. Cams I9 have a cam surface 23 adapted to engage a pin 24 mounted at the inner end of actuating rods I1 and will periodically displace the actuating rod in a radial direction every timeA a cam engages the pin thereon. After the cam surface has passed pin 24, the actuating rod will be automatically returned to its original position of rest by means of a helical spring 25 which has one of its ends attached to a vertically depending extension 26 of the actuating rod and has its other end connected to apin in circular plate 'I3-I, A radial slot I3-2 of suitable width is provided in plate I 3-I to accommodate extension 26.

In addition to its radial displacement, actuating rod I1 is also capable of a slight lateral displacement and of a slight vertical displacement. This is accomplished during the radial displacement by means of a vertical stripe control box 21. The control box and a pin 28 cooperating therewith will be best observed and its operation will be best understood by referring to Figs. 6 and 7. As it will be observed vfrom these figures, the control box is constituted of a U- shaped plate 29 having lateral anges 30 by means of which it can be mounted on circular plate I3-I. In the top surface of the U-shaped plate there is provided a substantially rhomboidshaped opening 3I, the edges of which act as a guiding surface for the side of pin 28. In addition to this, a cam surface is'provided within opening 3l and is constituted of the top surfaces of two plates 32 and 33 and. of a third and much thinner plate 34 having an extension 35 protruding between the two cam plates 32 and 33. The complete control box structure is held together in predetermined position by means of a screw 36. It will be noted that the lower end of pin 28 which is resiliently mounted on actuating rod I1 by. means of a 11.1'. spring 31 and extends through a corresponding opening in the actuating rod, will move along the surface of cam plates 32 and 33 and along the sides of opening 3 I rIhis will cause guides 38 of the stripe yarns 39 to perform a curvilinear displacement along a closed curve around a plurality of selected needles and will wind around the needle in the raised position the length stripe yarns. Length stripe yarns 39 are pulled olf from bobbins 40 through a tension device 4I and a guide 42. In the drawing, live guides 38 are shown mounted on a cross bar 43 carried by the outer end of actuating' bar I1. Of course, any other convenient number of guides can be employed and a length stripe yarn inserts therein cooperate in conventional manner with the needles and with a dividing cam to engage the needle butts and to selectively raise a plurality of needles corresponding to the spacing of guides 38 on the actuating rod I1. The design wheel has such an angle and is arranged in From the preceding description, the operation of my improved knitting machine and length stripe mechanism will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. Main yarns 46 are led to the cylinder through 'guides 41. Cam ring 1 is rotated by means of ring gear 8, gear 9 and pulley I Il, and cam 5 on the cam ring consecutively actuate the individually displaceable needles 3 in slots 2 of cylinder I. The cams on cam ring 1, and the other cooperating parts of the machine are adjusted and operated in such a manner that a conventional plain knitted fabric is produced. As this part of the machine is operated along conventional lines, its operation will be readily understood without any detailed description.

As to the operation of the length stripe forming mechanism, design or pattern wheels 44 are adjusted and are provided with such a number of inserts 45 that a number of needles 3 selected to receive the-length stripe yarns 39 on a single actuating bar I1, are pushed up prior to the radial displacement of the actuating bar by means of cam I9. During the rotation of the cam ring, also vertical shaft I I is rotated due to the fact that it is rigidly connected to the cam ring by standards I5 and spider I6. This will cause cam disk 20 and cams I9 thereon to rotate at a rate having a predetermined and constant relation to the rotation of cam ring 1. During the rotation of cam disk 20, cams IQWill periodically and successively engage pins 24 by means of their surfaces 23 and will cause the actuating rod and the guides 38 thereon with length stripe yarns 39 to be propelled in radiallyA forward direction. However, due to the engagement of vertical stripe control box 21 by means of resiliently mounted pin `28, the displacement of guides 38 will not be in a straight line but along a curvilinear path determined by the cam surfaces 32-I, 33-I, and the outer edge line of opening 3| in cam box 21. The result will be that the length stripe yarns 39 will be wound around the needles selectively raised by the design wheel 44. Hereafter, the stitch cam will return the raised needles into their normal position of rest whereby a stitch will be made with the stripe yarn in the body of the fabric constituted of the main yarn. Of course, the number of stripes provided in the body of the fabric is determined by the number of stripe yarm operated by the guides. The stripe yarns may all have the same color or may `have diiTerent colors in order to provide added possibilities of varying the appearance of the nnished product. In addition, the length stripes embodying the principles of the present invention may be combined with horizontal stripes provided by means of conventional procedure whereby very attractive plaids and similar knitted fabrics of novel character may be provided.

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a modified embodiment of the principles of the present invention into a knitting machine to produce bias stripes in the iinished fabric. 'I'he modified embodiment essentially comprises a driving pulley 5I fixed on a main driving shaft 52 on which a bevel gear 53 is mounted. Bevel gear 53 drives ring gear 54 which is associated with cam ring 55 rotatable around stationary cylinder 56. Cylinder 56 is provided with a circumferential groove at the lower circumferential portion thereof in which a ring 51 is slidably mounted having teeth 58 provided therein. On the inner face of this ring is mounted a plate 59 having' two small rollers 60 rotatably mounted thereon adapted to 'receive therebetween the lower end 6I 'of a bracket corresponding to bracket I4 of Fig. 1 and supporting the stripe-forming mechanism. As it appears from Fig. 9, there is a small clearance provided between rollers 60 and the lower end 6I of the bracket so that the fabric formed by the machine may descend therebetween without undue friction or interference.

In order to produce bias stripes, ring 51 and therewith the complete stripe forming mechanism (not shown) has to be displaced during the knitting operation. This gradual displacement is accomplished by means of al removable worm 62 connected to shaft 52 by means of a set screw 63. Worm 62 drives wheel 64 having a bevel gear 65 rigidly connected therewith and journaled in a suitable extension of a bracket member 66. Bevel gear 65 drives a second bevel gear 61 journaled in a second extension of bracket member 66 and having another bevel gear 68 rigidly connected thereto. This bevel gear 68 engages the teeth 58 on ring 51 and Will cause displacement of this ring and of rollers 60 mounted thereon. During displacement of ring 51, the lower end of bracket 6I which is engaged by rollers 60 is taken with the ring and with it the complete stripe-forming mechanism which being identical with the mechanism mounted on disk I3 in Fig. l has been omitted from this figure for the sake of simplicity. The relative displacement between the cylinder 56 and the stripe-forming mechanism will have the effect of having the stripe yarns wound around successive needles of the cylinder instead of always the same needles. This will result in the formation of bias'stripes, as those skilled in the art will readily understand. The angle of the stripes with the horizontal will be determined by the gear ratio between the main drive shaft and ring 51. Preferably, cam ring 55 is rotating in a direction opposite to that of the rotation of ring 51 and thus to that of the stripe-forming mechanism, although, of course, it is possible to operate the machine in such a manner that both cam ring and stripe-forming mechanism are displaced in the same direction at different relative speeds. The relative speeds of the cam ring and of the stripe forming mechanism and therebythe angle of the bias stripes may be Varied by substituting a different worm and gear 62, 64 or by changing the gear ratio in any other appropriate manner. Vertical stripes may be produced by removing the worm and gear altogether.

In addition to displacing the stripe-forming mechanism, it is, of course, also necessary to provide such design or pattern wheels in the machine that valways the needles corresponding to the position of the stripe-yarn guides of the stripe-forming mechanism are raised. This can be accomplished by providing design wheels having an appropriate number of teeth and inserts of` suitable number and spacing therein. Of course, those skilled in the art will have no difculty to determine the type of design wheel and the number and arrangement of the inserts for each type of stripe desired.

Figs. 10 to 12 villustrate greatly enlarged views of the various striped fabrics which may be produced in accordance with the principles of the present invention. In Fig. 10 a knitted plaid is illustrated in which the body of the fabric is formed by body yarns 'l0V having two vertical stripe yarns 1l and 'i2 incorporated therein having a color different from that of yarn 10. In addition to this, conventional horizontal stripes are formed in the fabric by means of. yarns 'I3 and 14 in order to provide a plaid effect.

Fig. 11 depicts a greatly enlarged view of a fabric embodying the invention the body of which is formed of body yarns 15 andhas two stripe yarns 'I6 and 'l1 incorporated therein of which 'i6 forms a staggered stripe and 'l1 forms a plain vertical stripe.

Fig. 12 shows a similar greatly enlarged view of a fabric embodying the invention the body of which is formed of body yarns-18` and has two bias stripes formed of stripe yarns T9 and 80 incorporated therein.

The actual appearance of the fabrics embodying the principles of the invention is shown in Figs. 13 to 15. Fig. 13a illustrates a diagrammatic plan view of the front face a knitted fabric 8| having two vertical stripes 82 provided therein. As it appears from Fig. 13b, the same vertical stripes are present in the back face of the fabric Without iioats, so that both the front and the back face of the fabric may be used. Fig. 14a depicts a similar diagrammatic plan view of the front face of a knitted fabric 83 having a staggered stripe 84 and a plain vertical stripe I! provided therein. Fig. 14h illustrating the back face of the fabric depicted in Fig. 14a clearly shows that the same stripes Without floats appear on the back face of the fabric. Figs. 15a and 15b show the front and the back face, respectively, of a knitted fabric 86 having bias stripes 81 embodied therein. Of course, in addition to these simplest stripe formations, it is possible to provide various other combinations of horizontal,`

vertical, staggered and bias stripes by suitable manipulations of the stripe-forming mechanism embodying the invention,as those skilled in the art will readily understand.

It will be noted that the knitting machine embodying the principles of the present invention provides important advantages. First of all, a novel and improved knitting machine of the open top type is provided which for the rst time in the history of the art permits the production of length stripes, bias stripes and also plaids, all Without oats, in a knitted fabric.

It is also to be observed that according to the principles of the invention an attachment of great simplicity is provided which may be readily attached to any conventional circular knitting machine, without requiring any expensive and complicated changes and which makes it possible to provide length stripes, bias stripes, staggered stripes and plaids, by means of a relatively inexpensive and easily available machine.

Moreover, the attachment embodying the invention is'very simple in construction and easy and inexpensive to manufacture and to operate.

pearance at both sides thereof.

It is also to be-noted that the present invention provides a novel method of 'producing knitted vfabrics having novel vertical, bias or staggered stripes embodied therein either alone or in combination with conventional horizontal stripes on a circular knitting machine of the open top type,

Without resorting to the provision of floats in the back of the fabric.

Another important advantage of the invention -is that it may be applied to circular knittingmachines for' the production of' knitted tube having a diameter' larger than several inches and up to l2, 18, or more inches. The improved product also has the advantage thatit'is reversible, i. e. either side can be usadas-the face.

The principles of the present invention 'make it also possible to produce a runproof fabric on a circular knitting machine. This can be accomplished, for example, by means of selectively actuatingevery other needle in such a manner that alternate needlesare actuated for each stitch. The selective actuation of the alternate needles is performed :by means-'of a design or pattern wheel adjusted to raise every other needle, or by means of alternately employing high and low butt needles for` the series. according to the type :of the machine used'. To produce runproof fabric, preferably, a stripe yarn and a stripe yarn guide is provided for every other needle, and the stripe-forming elements are actuated foreach stitch of the fabric.v 'Ihe result will be a runproof fabric having a length stripe in every second stitch.` Due to the 'fact that the length stripe yarns are wound around alternate needles, the length stripes will be in a staggered or zig-zag arrangement and will prevent runs in the fabric, as a run starting at anypoint of the fabric is stopped when its direction crosses that of the adjacent length stripe. Thus, according to the invention, a. completely runproof fabric of a warp-knitted type may be produced on a circular knitting machine.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment thereof and as applied to an open top latch-type needle circular knitting machine, variations and modifications may be resorted to by those skilled in the art without departing from the principles of the present invention. Thus, the principles of the invention may be applied with equal or similar results to circular knitting machines employing spring type needles in from oats and having an attractive striped apl which generally the cams operating the needles are stationary and the needles go around. Instead of the conventional inelastic yarns, it is possible to employ elastic yarns for forming the novel longitudinal stripes such as vertical, bias or staggered stripes,'and also for forming horizontal stripes. 'In this manner av novel elastic fabric may be produced having a two-Way stretch which provides great advantages for example in the production of knitted bathing suits and similar articles. I consider all of these variations and modications as within the true 'spirit and scope of my invention as disclosed in the present de-I I claim:

l. In a knitting machine, the combination comwith said needles to form a fabric from a plurality of body yarn feeds, a plurality of design prising a cylinder, a series of indepcndentneedles gem-Wheels rotatably mounted on said cam ring for circumferentially arranged in said cylinde'er,l a rotatable cam ring" around said cylind/er, .cam means mountedbn said ring adapted to cooperate with said needles to form a fabric from a plurality of bodyyarns, means including a design wheel having inserts provided therein to raise a selected plurality of needles, a stripe-forming mechanism including a plurality of actuating rods each bearing a plurality of stripe yarn guides at the end thereof corresponding to the spacing of said raised needles, means including a control box having a rhomboid-shaped cam surface and an actuating disk for displacing said stripe yarn guides; to `Wrap said stripe yarns around said selected-needles during the time when they are in the raised position, and means for withdrawingsaid selected needles to cause the incorporation of said stripe yarns into the body of the fabric.

2. In a knitting machine, the combination comprising a cylinder, a series of independent needles circumferentially arranged in said cylinder, a rotatable cam ring externally surrounding said cylinder, cam means including a stitch cam mounted on said cam ring adapted to cooperate with said needles to form a fabric from a plurality of body yarn feeds, a lplurality of design Wheels rotatably mounted on said cam ring for raising selected pluralities of said needles, a plurality of stripe-forming rods located in a substantially horizal and radial direction at the top of said cylinder, spaced stripe yarn guides at the end of each of said rods, and means including a control box having a rhomboid-shaped cam surface and an actuating disk timed to the rotation of said cam ring to radially and laterally displace said guides and to Wrap a stripe yarn around each of said needles raised by said design Wheels, said needles being subsequently withdrawn by said stitch cam to incorporate said stripe yarns into the body of the fabric.

3. In a knitting machine, the combination comprising a cylinder, a series of independent needles circumferentially arranged in said cylinder, a rotatable cam ring externally surrounding said cylinder, cam means including a stitch cam mounted on said cam ring adapted to cooperate with said needles to form a fabric from a plurality of body yarn feeds, a plurality of design wheels rotatably mounted on said cam ring for raising selected pluralities of said needles, a system of stripe-forming rods located in a substantially horizontal and radial direction at the top of said cylinder, spaced stripe yarn guides at the end of each of said rods, a cam disk having a plurality of cams thereon adapted to cooperate with said rods o radially displace the same, and a control box having a rhomboidraising-selected pluralities of said needles, a system of stripe-forming rods located in a substantially horizontal and radial direction at the top of said cylinder, spaced stripeyarn guides at the ends of said rods, acam disk having `a plurality convertthe radial displacement of said rods into a lateral and Vertical displacement of said guides along a closed curvilinear path to Wrap stripe yarns around said selected and raised needles, l

and resilient means for withdrawing said rods after each actuation, said selected needles being subsequently Withdrawn by said stitch cam t0 incorporate said stripe yarns into the body of said fabric.

5. In a knitting machine, the combination comprising a cylinder, a series of independent needles circumferentially arranged in said cylinder, a rotatable cam ring externally surrounding said cylinder, cam means including a stitch lcam mounted on said cam ring adapted to cooperate with said needles to form a fabric from a plurality of body lyarn feeds, a plurality of inclined design wheels rotatably mounted on said cam ring for raising selected pluralities of said needles, a plurality of vertical standards xedly mounted and rotating with said cam ring, a spider connecting the upper ends of said standards and supporting a centrally depending main shaft keyed thereto, a base plate having a central hub slidably supported by the lower end of said shaft, means for connecting said plate to a stationary part of the machine to prevent rotation thereof, a plurality of stripe-forming rods having stripe yarn guides at the end thereof mounted on.said base plate in radially displaceable position, a cam disk rigidly mounted on said main shaft, cams on said cam disk adapted to cooperate with said stripe-forming rods to radially displace said rods, and a control box having a rhomboid-shaped cam surface for converting said radial displacement into a curvilinear displacement to wind a stripe yarn around each of said raised needles, said needles being subsequently withdrawn by said stitch cam to incorporate said stripe yarns into the body of said fabric.

6. In a knitting machine, the combination comprising a cylinder, a series of independent needles circumferentially arranged in said cylinder, a rotatable cam ring externally surrounding said cylinder, cam means including a stitch cam mounted on said cam ring adapted to cooperate with said needles to form a fabric from a plurality of body yarn feeds, a plurality of inclined design wheels rotatably mounted on said cam ring for raising selected pluralities of said needles, a plurality of vertical standards fixedly mounted and rotating with said cam ring, a spider connecting the upper ends of said standards and supporting a centrally "depending main shaft keyed thereto, a base plate having a cen- .tral hub slidably supported by the lower end of said shaft, means for connecting said plate to a stationary part of the machine to prevent rotation thereof, a plurality of stripe-forming rods having stripe yarn guides at the end thereofA mounted on said base plate in radially displaceable position, a cam disk rigidly mounted on said shaft, cams on said cam disk adapted to cooperate with a pin on said stripe-forming rods to radially displace the same, a control box for each of said rods having a rhomboid-shaped cam surface adapted to be engaged by a pin on said rods to convert said radial displacement into a curvilinear displacement along a closed path to wrap a stripe yarn around each of said raised needles, said needles being subsequently withdrawn by said stitch cam to incorporate said stripe yarns into the body of the fabric.

'7. In a knitting machine, the combination comprising a cylinder,v a series of independent needles circumferentially arranged in said cylinder, a cam ring around said cylinder, cam means mounted on said ring adapted to cooperate with said needles to form a fabric from a plurality of body yarns, means including a design wheel having inserts provided therein to raise a selected plurality of needles arranged progressively along the series, a stripe-forming mechanism including a plurality of actuating rods each bearing a plurality of stripe yarn guides at the end thereof corresponding to the spacing of said raised needles, means including a control box having a rhomboid-shaped cam surface and an actuating disk for displacing said stripe yarn guides to wrap stripe yarns around said selected needles during the time when they are in the raised position, means for withdrawing said selected needles to cause the incorporation of said stripe yarns into the body of the fabric, a main drive for rotating said cam ring, a vertical shaft rotating with said ring for operating said actuating rods, and means including a reduction gear associated with said main drive to cause relative displacement of the stripe-forming mechanism with respect to said series of needles to form bias and staggered stripes, said red *',tion gear having readily replaceable elements to change the gear ratio thereof and the inclination of the bias stripes produced.

8. In a circular knitting machine having a series of cam-actuated independent needles in a cylinder and a vertically depending main shaft, means for raising a selected plurality of needles, a stripe-forming mechanism .for said knitting machine, said stripe-forming mechanism comprising in combination a base plate slidably supported by said main shaft, means connecting said plate to said cylinder to ,prevent displacement thereof with respect to said cylinder, a plurality of displaceable actuating rods on said plate each bearing stripe yarn guides at the end thereof, a

cam disk xedly mounted on said shaft, cams spacedly mounted on said disk and adapted to engage said actuating rods to move said stripe yarn guides in cooperating position with said raised needles, and a. control box for each of said rods having rhomboid-shaped cam surfaces cooperating with said rod to cause displacement of said guides along a closed curvilinear path and to wrap said stripe yarns around said needles, said needles `being subsequently returned into their normal position of rest to form a stitch having said stripe yarn incorporated therein.

9. In a circular knitting machine having a series of cam-actuated independent needles in a cylinder and a vertically depending main shaft,

means for raising a selected plurality of needles, a stripe-forming mechanism for said knitting machine, said stripe-forming mechanism comprising in combination a base plate slidably supported by said main shaft, means for preventing rotation of said base plate with respect to the cylinder, a plurality of displaceable actuating rods on said plate each bearing stripe yarn guides at the end thereof, a cam disk` xed on said shaft,.cams spacedly mounted on said cam disk and adapted to engage a pin on said actuating rods tc move said stripe yarn guides in cooperating position with said raised needles, and a control box for each of said actuating rods having rhomboid-shaped cam surfaces therein cooperating with a resiliently mounted pin on said rod to cause displacement of said guides along a closed curvilinear path and to wrap said stripe yarns around said needles, said needles being subsequently returned into their normal position of rest to form a stitch having said stripe ya incorporated therein.

10. A control box for a stripe-forming mechanism in circular knitting machines comprising in combination an inverted U-shaped plate having a rhomboid-shaped opening in the top surface thereof, and a cam surface within said U- shaped plate and facing saidA opening, said cam surface being adapted to be engaged by a pin and to convert a reciprocating straight-line dis- 

